Method and apparatus for a combined fuel cell and hydrogen purification system

Abstract

Fuel cell systems and associated methods of operation are provided whereby application of a fuel cell is coordinated with a fuel processor and a hydrogen separator. One such method includes the following steps: (1) operating a fuel processor to convert a hydrocarbon to reformate; (2) reacting the reformate in a fuel cell to generate electrical power; (3) supplying the electrical power to an electrical load, wherein the electrical load has a power requirement threshold; (4) determining whether the electrical power from the fuel cell is below the power requirement threshold; (5) increasing a flow of reformate from the fuel processor to the fuel cell when the electrical power from the fuel cell is below the power requirement threshold; (6) flowing a portion of the reformate from the fuel processor to a hydrogen separator; (7) storing hydrogen from the hydrogen separator in a hydrogen storage vessel; (8) monitoring an amount of hydrogen stored in the hydrogen storage vessel; and (9) adjusting a proportional valve upstream from the fuel cell toward a closed position when the amount of hydrogen in the hydrogen storage tank is below a predetermined threshold to increase a proportion of the reformate from the fuel processor that is flowed to the hydrogen separator.

1. A fuel cell system comprising:
 a fuel processor to provide a reformate flow; 
 a fuel cell to receive at least part of the reformate flow; 
 an oxidizer; 
 a hydrogen separator; and 
 a control system to concurrently allocate part of the reformate flow to the hydrogen separator and another part of the reformate flow to the oxidizer. 
 
   
   
     2. The fuel cell system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system comprises a valve to control communication of the reformate flow with the hydrogen separator. 
   
   
     3. The fuel cell system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system comprises a pressure regulator to control communication of the reformate flow with the oxidizer. 
   
   
     4. The fuel cell system of  claim 1 , wherein the oxidizer is adapted to receive exhaust flow from the fuel cell. 
   
   
     5. The fuel cell system of  claim 1 , further comprising a hydrogen storage tank connected to the hydrogen separator to store hydrogen produced by the hydrogen separator. 
   
   
     6. A method, comprising:
 providing a reformate flow from a fuel processor; 
 using at least part of the reformate flow to produce an electrochemical reaction inside a fuel cell; 
 separating at least part of the reformate flow into hydrogen; and 
 automatically and concurrently allocating a part of the reformate flow that is used for the separation and another part of the reformate flow that is not subject to the separation. 
 
   
   
     7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the automatically allocating comprises using a valve to control the reformate flow to a hydrogen separator. 
   
   
     8. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 storing the hydrogen in a hydrogen storage tank. 
 
   
   
     9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the automatically allocating is based on an amount of hydrogen stored in the hydrogen storage tank. 
   
   
     10. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 routing said other part of the reformate flow to an oxidizer.